WINDSOR, Vt. -
Ten eager kids, half a dozen fuzzy friends and one real veterinarian facing a puzzling problem: a sick dog.
"He sounds like he's got a sore belly," Dr. Brad Burrington said.
"He's having them help diagnose a few sick animals and they're learning what a veterinarian does," said Jackie Stanley of the Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society.
At Kids Camp at the Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society, the day was all about saving the stuffed animals.
"Does it feel like something's in his belly?" Burrington asked.
Not just an audience, the kids were poised to diagnose poor CoCo's problem, too.
"Maybe an X-ray?" one suggested.
X-ray it was, which showed the worst.
"Did he eat something he wasn't supposed to? I think so," Burrington said.
So the vets in training scrubbed in-- gloves, caps, and masks-- ready to tackle CoCo's tummy troubles. Turns out CoCo snacked on some rocks.
"It was awesome!" camper Marin Pearson exclaimed.
"It was really fun to figure out what was inside the animal," camper Lilly Merriam said.
"It's terrific to have Dr. Burrington here, just to let the children know what a veterinarian does. A lot of children in this cam are very compassionate. They love animals. A lot of them intend to pursue a career in animal care and veterinarian medicine perhaps," Stanley said.
It's not just about being a vet, each day the kids ages 6-10 meet animals in new ways; housing them, feeding them, visiting farms and listening to guests. The goal is to teach humane treatment at a young age.
"I think it was great. It gave the kids a chance to really look into a career that they all say they want to do and they're little and love animals and what really it entails and what goes along with it," said Mary VanderNoot, a parent volunteer.
Possible vets in the making, or at least kids enjoying a fun summer camp.
